Higher prices on reduced train services?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

An exchange this morning, from one of the key workers, and a shift worker, who uses the train via Melksham 5 days a week - but typically not the Monday to Friday 5 day week.

Regular commuter: I get it public transport has been significantly reduced in the number of passengers usage and companies have to make changes.  I am now classed as a key worker as I worked in food distrubution.  To cancel the first two direct services on Sunday is not helpful as I have now go via bath and pay the extra fare So I think it profit before putting the country first.

Graham Ellis I totally agree with you [name] - this first Sunday train is a commuter service and you are a vital worker. The direct train from Weymouth to Swindon at lunch time as been left and I would characterise that as a leisure service. You should NOT have to pay more at the very very least ... I will ask a couple of questions.

To Gwr: Cancelations this a.m. of first 2 Westbury to Swindon services. Understand why (though odd ones to choose as they are used by vital workers).  Vital workers travelled via Bath this morning. Do they have to pay higher "via Bath" fares?

Answer from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - "Hi, if the train is cancelled they can use the alternative via Bath route without paying the higher fare"

... how long that applies for, I don't know - but suggest to stick with "via Melksham" tickets as its your normal route. People still at work 'cos they're in key jobs should NOT have to pay more.

I can understand need to reduce services. And I understand that even key workers will be penalised by the inconvenience of having to travel at different times and perhaps by longer routes and with longer waits for connections.  But I do think that people who need to travel should not find themselves having to pay more.  It would appear that GWR's social media team agree with me where a train is cancelled short term.   It would be good to get such an assurance for the duration of reduced services, and also a confirmation that where a passenger needs to shift from an off peak to a (nominally) peak train during these times that they can travel at the off peak fare.

[ray951]

Given the numbers travelling should there even be peak fares? Although of course we also don't want fares so low that lots of people travel.

[grahame]

Given the numbers travelling should there even be peak fares? Although of course we also don't want fares so low that lots of people travel.

You ask an excellent question and indeed the current ups and downs may be the opportunity to sort out fares properly  for the future.  The Rail Delivery Group did the consultation, the Williams review has taken the RDG^‡(resolve) figures and chewed them over, and the government will want the country back on the tracks.  We are in for new times ... maybe forward on the basis of the current regulated fares - off peak and season ticket as I understand it for Chippeham and various stations near there and on the same line to London.

[Robin Summerhill]

An exchange this morning, from one of the key workers, and a shift worker, who uses the train via Melksham 5 days a week - but typically not the Monday to Friday 5 day week.

Regular commuter: I get it public transport has been significantly reduced in the number of passengers usage and companies have to make changes.  I am now classed as a key worker as I worked in food distrubution.  To cancel the first two direct services on Sunday is not helpful as I have now go via bath and pay the extra fare So I think it profit before putting the country first.

Graham Ellis I totally agree with you [name] - this first Sunday train is a commuter service and you are a vital worker. The direct train from Weymouth to Swindon at lunch time as been left and I would characterise that as a leisure service. You should NOT have to pay more at the very very least ... I will ask a couple of questions.

To Gwr: Cancelations this a.m. of first 2 Westbury to Swindon services. Understand why (though odd ones to choose as they are used by vital workers).  Vital workers travelled via Bath this morning. Do they have to pay higher "via Bath" fares?

Answer from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - "Hi, if the train is cancelled they can use the alternative via Bath route without paying the higher fare"

... how long that applies for, I don't know - but suggest to stick with "via Melksham" tickets as its your normal route. People still at work 'cos they're in key jobs should NOT have to pay more.

 But I do think that people who need to travel should not find themselves having to pay more. 

Perhaps the old brain isn’t working yet this morning and I’ve missed something, but as I read it the passenger could indeed travel via Bath at the “via Melksham” fare if the direct service is cancelled.

In cases like this the passenger is not at fault and, as you say, GWR or indeed any other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) should not penalise them for it. Lines get closed all the time for engineering work, signal failure, failed locomotives in section etc, and diversions can and do happen.

When Box Tunnel was closed for engineering work some time ago a notice appeared in Chippenham station saying that Bristol tickets were valid via Swindon for the duration. I did need to point this out to an RPO half way up Filton bank on the way back but that was resolved amicably.

I suppose the matter is of greater significance because there are “via Melksham” fares on this route that are cheaper than the “via Bath” ones. But there are also other examples – if, for instance, something derailed at Kemble and Cheltenham and Gloucester passengers had to travel via Bristol Parkway, nobody would dream of trying to squeeze extra brass out of a passenger for being forced to go ”the pretty way” (or in this case the less pretty way, but you know what I mean... )

[grahame]

Perhaps the old brain isn’t working yet this morning and I’ve missed something, but as I read it the passenger could indeed travel via Bath at the “via Melksham” fare if the direct service is cancelled.

In cases like this the passenger is not at fault and, as you say, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) or indeed any other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) should not penalise them for it. Lines get closed all the time for engineering work, signal failure, failed locomotives in section etc, and diversions can and do happen.

You would have thought so, but it would appear that a regular passenger got charged £16.40 day return Trowbridge to Swindon travelling via Bath Spa on Sunday ... having to go that way because the first train via Melksham ran at 12:45 rather than 08:25.  The "via Melksham" day return is £8.10 (it's a much shorter and quicker journey that way!). So this needed to be asked / cleared up / clarified.

A one-off cancellation, and a one-off error in fare collection isn't all that significant.   A timetable change for "the duration" which might remove the early Sunday train, week after week, could become more important.   The more so if it's then regarded as a new timetable rather than a cancellation and the higher fares is demanded every week.

Huge shame the early Sunday train did not run - of all the Sunday trains from Westbury to Swindon, that one is the most used by the key workers who need to keep travelling.  But - as noted elsewhere, the TransWilts and Melksham has come off better than most in the cutbacks from today.   I might suggest to you that's because our service really couldn't be called "good" in the first place and others have now been scaled back to our level - all now in a very similar boat.